Job market in the Toronto and Greater TO area

[falcon]

I've recentley been contemplating a move east. Time for a change... things are getting to stagnant and I need something new to liven my boring ass life up.

Now... that being said I want to move to Toronto or thereabouts... also interested in Ottawa or Mtl. but I hear from a lot of people that the job market is not great. I'm in sales here in Vancouver and doing very well with it (motorcycles to be exact) but really any sales job will be sufficient including cars since they are much more exciting to me than bikes. Once you know how to "sell" you can "sell" anything. :wink:

How is it out there from those of you who actually live in Toronto? Am I crazy to leave a steady well paying job to move to a job market that is as unstable as it is in TO right now?

What kind of monthly rent can I expect for a basement apt that isn't a hole and at least 1000sq feet. A garage space would be a plus as well, and of couse I know I would have to pay extra for that luxury.

Rightdrive, you hiring... ?

[Harvey]

I cannot tell you much about sales market but I wouldn't give up a steady job for unknown. There are rarely 1000sqft basements in Toronto but if u are looking for cheap rent, the basement are around 4-500 a month per room in the suburbs. they sometimes include parking on the driveway. if you want 1000+sqft. It would be a 2 to 2+1 condo it would be quite expensive. Anywhere decent which you dont have to worry about your car getting stolen would be 1300-2000 depends on area. I would go for a 6-700sqft condo that would be around 1000-1500 and you would be live in a very nice area. Btw, All condo should include a parking spot.

Hope this helps.

[falcon]

Ya, that's all I'm concerned about... don't want my FD stolen. 600-700sq feet is adequate as well.

I don't mind leaving this job. It is good money but I get no joy out of working there. Too much BS politics and I don't really enjoy getting up and heading there every day anymore.

I would take anything to start off really... but it would need to be a good paying job. I would leave here with no debts and money in my pocket to live off for at least the first 6 mos incase work doesn't come my way right off the bat..

Ideally I would love to work in the front of house at a performance car shop, ordering/writer or something like that since that's where most of my experience lies. Sales is good money but I don't know if I want to do it forever.

[Harvey]

Why dont you take a vacation and head to Toronto and see if you like this city or not. I think there are plenty of opportunities here.

[falcon]

I wouldn't know where to go! The city is too big.

Perhaps this winter. I can't take anymore time off during the summer. With all my racing and a week off for a trip I'm already pushing it... lol.

[Brendan]

Come light cop cars on fire and smash store windows, everyone's doing it.

[Snake556]

Falcon, if ya move to the GTA, I'd suggest moving to one of the cities just outside of TO. Etobicoke, Mississauga, Scarborough, etc. You'll find cheaper places to live, and they're still close enough to TO to apply for jobs EVERYWHERE. But definitely come on out and give it a peek! I REALLY miss living in TO. I loved it.

[Harvey]

Falcon, if ya move to the GTA, I'd suggest moving to one of the cities just outside of TO. Etobicoke, Mississauga, Scarborough, etc. You'll find cheaper places to live, and they're still close enough to TO to apply for jobs EVERYWHERE. But definitely come on out and give it a peek! I REALLY miss living in TO. I loved it.

Yeah.. Downtown Toronto kinda sucks for car people because of the shitty roads and traffic. I would pick Scarborough because the cost of living is pretty cheap there and it is reasonably close to everywhere. But try to pick on the north west Scarborough so it is not too ghetto.

I dont live in Scarborough but I work in Scarborough so I know the area pretty well. If you ever want to settle in TO. Let me know I will try my best to answer you.

[falcon]

What areas are considered "nicer"... and which ones are ghetto? I hear Oakville is nice but quite a bit more expensive? Somewhat like living in DT Vancouver or out in Burnaby or something.

I like the fact that TO has like 5 tracks within a few hours and if you hop over the border there are many more down in the USA. Vancouver sucks for car people.

[DJ]

If you don't want to deal with Toronto traffic then move to Ottawa ,its a pretty cozy place to live and you would definatly not have a problem to find a place to rent with a garage here.We also have tracks around aswell!

[falcon]

Ya, I was thinking of Ottawa as well. Just somewhere east where the drive is not too far to get to the multitue of tracks.

It may sound silly, but that is on of the main reasons I want to move to that area. I want to get out of Van because of the high living costs and "no fun city" feel. My criteria when I was thinking of somewhere to live was 1) in Canada 2) Not in Quebec (don't speak a lick of French) 3) lower living cost and 4) lots of tracks in the area.

I like the idea of TO because it's by a BIG ass lake. I like my water . I would go nuts living somewhere landlocked.

DJ, what tracks are around OT?

[Nismoist]

TO is not the place to go if you want to decrease your cost of living because rent can be pretty high, outside of TO tends to be cheaper. Here is what I would recommend for you:
1. Look on workopolis to find some leads in the GTA and apply to jobs and see if you get some bites.
2. Book all job interviews within a week or 2 period and then come to TO for vacation. This way you can go to interviews and see the different areas of the GTA to figure out what areas you like.
3. Look for neighbourhoods and prices. I think MLS would be a good start to find places in your price range, you can go see them while in town. There are plenty of other sites you can check out as well.
4. Choose where you want to live based upon where you work. You dont want to live in Oakville if you work in Pickering. If I were you I would look in Markham or Richmond Hill to start as they are fairly central for the GTA.
5. Once you narrow down a job and location drive/transit the route one morning. Traffic in the GTA can be pretty bad.
6. When you do narrow down some areas ask some people on here what they are like (give nearest major intersection) and we can let you know, odds are that a few people will know the area.

Good luck.

[Nismoist]

I will say that TO/near TO is a great place to live, especially if you are on a subway line.
Just my personal opinion.

[falcon]

Ya, when I say "Toronto" I mean in and around. Not necessarily IN D/T TO. And the cost of living is debatable. I think at this point, anything is less than living in Vancouver.

[Oakville]

Oakville is a great place to live, been here since birth. My dad's owned homes in Etobicoke and Mississauga but I find its still rather busy and crowded. Oakville is about a half hour drive from the downtown core of toronto depending on traffic. Its also on the lake, and its beautiful down there. You also have the farmlands 10 mins north of us which is a bonus for me, cause I love driving up there.

There are very few condos and apartments in oakville as of right now, but quite a few are under development. I believe in the population of 175,000, there are maybe 8 highrises throughout the whole town, lots of townhouses though.

and were close to a handful of tracks